Bowling ball storage and retarding device



Oct. 8, 1963 R. 1.. HOLLOWAY ETAL 3,106,396

BOWLING BALL STORAGE AND RETARDING DEVICE Filed June 9, 1959 3Sheets-Sheet 1 MI I- l .WL 1. R0 Y R w mw M B U Nmw R mHc 0 1 T. Rm h .Iam ||||l||| b %H IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIQII\!\\\\ FIG.

Oct. 8, 1963 HOLLOWAY ETAL 3,106,396

' BOWLING BALL STORAGE AND RETARDING DEVICE Filed June 9, 1959 sSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ROBERT L. HOLLOWAY BY HENRY O. CONGELLIATTORNEY.

Oct. 8, 1963 R. L. HOLLOWAY ETAL 3,106,396

BOWLING BALL STORAGE AND RETARDING DEVICE Filed June 9, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet 3 m v ROBERT L. HOLLOWAY y HENRY c. CONGELLI A TTORNE XUnited States Patent 3,106,396 BOWLING BALL STORAGE AND RETARDING DEVICERobert L. Holloway, Snyder, N.Y., and Henry C. Congelli, Stamford,Conn., assignors to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation ofNew Jersey Filed June 9, 1959, Ser. No. 819,636 Claims. (Cl. 273-47)This invention relates to bowling apparatus and more particularly to animproved bowling ball storage and retarding device operative to reducethe momentum of bowling balls moving along a return runway and store theretarded balls in succession in a closed configuration substantiallytransverse to their path of travel on the runway.

Bowling ball retarding devices heretofore generally available utilizedcomplex hydraulic, friction or other energy absorbing members resultingin a ball retarding device that was costly to construct and maintain.Further, a slowly moving ball was very often unable to operate the ballretarding mechanism and move to a final position of rest. Likewise,rapidly moving balls were not always sufficiently'slowed for safedeposit onto the ball storage rack.

The present invention is characterized by the provision of a bowlingball retarding device which is of simple construction, free acting, andone which operates satisfactorily regardless of the momentum of theballs to be retarded.

In the preferred embodiment, the invention includes a ball engagingmember positioned in the path of travel of balls along a ball returnrunway. The ball engaging member is mounted on spaced supports which arein turn mounted on a resilient energy-absorbing member. Balls rollingalong a return runway contact the ball engaging member, moving the ballengaging member backwardly. The energy imparted to the ball-engagingmember by the bowling ball is dissipated by the resilient member. Balls,thus engaged, are deposited onto a deflector member which directs themonto a storage rack.

The invention is further characterized by the provision of a novel ballstorage rack having storing elements forming a closed runwaysubstantially at right angles to the path of travel of bowling ballsmoving along the ball return track and operative to store bowling ballsdelivered thereto in continuous succession. Balls retarded by the ballengaging member is deposited in succession onto a storage rack forstorage therearound.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel ball check for usewith a bowling alley ball return.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel bowling ballcheck for a ball return runway employing a ball engaging memberoperatively connected to an energy absorbing device.

The invention is further characterized by the provision of a novel freeacting bowling ball check which is operative under all conditions ofoperation despite the variations in the momentum of balls checkedthereby.

'It is another object of this invention to provide a bowling ballretarding and storing device having a ball engaging member positioned inthe path of travel of a ball along a bowling alley return runway, energyabsorbing means connected to the member and means for directing ballsaway from the ball engaging member and onto a storage device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel ballstorage rack operative to store bowling balls delivered thereto incontinuous succession in a closed runway substantially transverse totheir direction of movement along a ball return track.

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A further object of this invention is to provide, in combination, abowling ball retarding and storing device having a ball engaging memberpositioned in the path of travel of a ball moving along a bowling alleyreturn runway, energy absorbing means connected to the member, adeflector member for directing balls engaged by the ball engaging memberaway therefrom and a ball storage rack operative to receive balisdirected by the deflector member and store them in continuous successionin a closed runway substantially at right angles to their path of travelalong the return runway.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, theinvention consists in certain combinations and constructions which willbe described fully herein.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a ball return provided with apreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the ball returnillustrated in FIGURE 1 with the protective hood removed.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the ball return illustrated in FIGURE1 with the protective hood removed.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along line 4-4, FIGURE 2.

The ball storage and retarding device made in accordance with theinvention may be used on any type of bowling alley ball return as longas it can be mounted so that its ball engaging member is located in thepath of travel of a ball rolling onto the ball delivery section of aball return on which it is installed.

Referring specifically to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a preferredembodiment of the invention operatively associated with the delivery endof a ball return track T of a suitable ball return runway R. Theinvention comprises a ball engaging member 1t preferably of resilientimpact absorbing material such as foam rubber, leather, cotton padding,or the like, having a relatively low coefilcient of friction. Member 10is attached as by bolts 12 to the upper end of two spaced upright,generally L- shaped supports, 14, which mount member 10 in the pathofand transverse to a ball B rolling along tracks T. Supports 14 areprovided with downwardly inclined sections 13 adjacent their upper endsas shown best in FIG- URE 2. Inclined sections 13 are provided so thatballs B rolling along tracks T and engaged by member are deflecteddownwardly for reasons described in detail hereinbelow.

Supports 14 are secured at their lower ends as by bolts 16 to shock orimpact absorbing mounts 18. (See FIG- URE 4.) Mounts 18 comprise spacedplates 20 and 22 separated by a resilient impact-absorbing block 24.Block 24 is preferably of rubber, but other suitable plastic orresilient impact-absorbing material may be substituted. Plates 20 and 22are secured as by adhesive bonding to block 24 as shown in FIGURE 4.Mount 18 is further provided with an outer bracket 26 having peripherallip or rim proportions 28. Bracket 26 is positioned adjacent the edgesof resilient block 24 and extends along one side thereof remote fromplate '20, as shown in FIGURE 4. Bracket 26 may be adhesively bonded toblock 24, or block 24 may be freely retained therein by means of rimportions 28. Mount 18 is in turn secured as by bolts 30 through bracket26 to vertical supports 32. The invention further includes a ballstorage member, designated generally S, installed on the floor of abowling establishment and preferably at the rear of the bowling alleyapproach. Storage member S is preferably described as a generally closedconfiguration; such as a rectangle or ellipse (see FIGURE 3) and ispositioned below the delivery end of runway R (FIGURE 2). Storage memberS comprises a substantially horizontal storage support plate 34 providedwith storage rails 36 formed or suitably attached on plate 34 anddescribing a generally rectangular or elliptical configuration. Plate 34in turn is mounted on vertical supports 32, 38 and 39 supported on thefloor of the bowling establishment, To furnish a finished appearance,storage member S is provided with an outer masking member 46. Further,plate 34 is provided with a central aperture 35 (FIGURE 3) through whichprojects supports 14' and member It into operative ball-engagingposition. In addition, member S is provided with shelves 41 for storageof balls not in play.

In operation, a ball B rolling along tracks T, is discharged fromdischarge station or terminal point D thereof into a ball receivingstation E having a ball guide such as spaced tracks which extend, asshown in the drawings from within an enclosing hood H around the top ofball storage member S. Hood H is of substantially rectangularcross-section, but preferably has four closed sides, an open side facingrunway R through which balls roll from discharge station D and anopening 44- through which balls roll along tracks 3d into storage spacein storage member S.

Upon entering hood H, ball B strikes member 153 positioned in the paththereof at the rear of tracks 36 (FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3). Bowling ballsrolling along tracks T are generally provided with an excess ofmomentum, which must be substantially completely dissipated before ballsB can be safely conducted to ball storage member R. Therefore, when aball B engages member 19, member 10 is urged backwardly thereby asindicated in broken lines in FIGURE 2. The Work performed by a ball inurging member 19 to this rearward position consumes substantially allthe kinetic energy possessed by ball B as it is returned along tracks T.

Mount 18, is operative to absorb the impact imparted to member 10 andits supports 14 by a ball B checked thereby. As member 10 is moved toits rearward position, shown in broken lines in FIGURE 2, plates 2%) and22 secured to the lower ends of members 14 are pivoted to the positionshown in broken lines in FiGURE 2. However, brackets 26 attached toneither plates 26", 24 or supports 14, remain stationary, transmittingno motion, vibration or impact to storage member supports 32. The entirekinetic energy of a ball checked by member 19 is absorbed by theresilient blocks 24- which because of their resiliency deform under theimpact and thereby absorb the vibration and shock transmitted theretofrom member 1% through supports 14 and plates 29. It will be understoodthat if desired, supports 14 may be of resilient yieldable constructionand formed of some impact-absorbing material; such as, rubber, springsteel, plastic or the like. nate the necessity of providing resilientblocks 24 since supports 14 could be rigidly secured at their lower endsto supports 32, the impact upon engagement of a ball with member It)being absorbed directly by supports A ball B is thus safely deposited bythe inclined mounting of member 1i} downwardly onto deflector member 42.Member 42 is preferably wedge-shaped and operative to direct ballsdelivered thereto in one direction only and transverse to theirdirection of movement along tracks T. Balls B deflected by member 42 areurged out of hood H through opening 44 provided in one of the closedsides of hood H and onto rails 36 of storage member S.

Rails 36 preferably are mounted with a slight incline on plate 34 sothat successive balls B deflected by deflector member 42 through opening44 gravitate slowly around member S to a position adjacent the oppositeside of hood H as shown best in FIGURE 1; hood 1%, member 10 and runwayR being located substantially centrally with respect to storage memberS.

Such an arrangement would elimi- Thus there is disclosed a simple,efiicient, and reliable ball retarding and storing device operative toengage balls returning along a ball return runway, and dissipate thekinetic energy contained therein, and also store such checked balls insuccession in a substantially closed path of travel generally at rightangles to their direction of travel on the runway.

What we claim is:

1. A bowling ball retarding device for a bowling alley ball returnrunway comprising a ball engaging member, spaced supports mounting saidmember transversely in the path of travel of a ball rolling forwardlyalong said runway, said member as thereby mounted having having itsforwaa d ball-engaging surface inclined downwardly and rearwardlyrelative to the supports and in the direction of ball travel, saidsupports extending downwardly from said member to beneath the level ofsaid runway, energy absorbing devices operatively connected to saidsupports at the lower ends thereof and resiliently mounting the same forlimited impact-absorbing movement of said member under the influence ofa said ball rolling along said runway, the energy absorbed by saiddevices being effective to restore said member to a normal positionfollowing such impact thereby to effect deflection of the ball in adirection downward and rearward from its approaching direction ofmovement for delivery thereof from the runway to a ball storage means.

2. A device according to claim 1, including a device providing asubstantially horizontal surface in front of and beneath the level ofsaid member, the last-mentioned surface sloping downwardly toward oneside of said runway to deliver balls to a storage rack at said one side.

3. A bowling ball retarding device for a bowling alley ball returnrunway comprising a ball engaging member, a supporting structuremounting said member transversely in the path of travel of a ballrolling forwardly along the runway and having a lower portion extendingdownwardly beneath the runway, a stationary structure associated withsaid lower portion of the member-supporting structure, and a resilient,energy-absorbing material connecting said lower portion -to saidstationary structure and thereby yieldably mounting said membersupporting structure for limited impact-absorbing movement under theinfluence of a ball striking said member, the energy a sorbed by saidmaterial being effective to restore said member to a normal positionfollowing such impact thereby to effect deflection of the ball in adirection downward and rearward from its approaching direction ofmovement for delivery thereof from the runway to a ball storage means.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said member is mounted withits forward ball-engaging surface inclined downwardly and rearwardlyrelative to the supports and in the direction of ball travel.

5. A device according to claim 3, including means in front of and belowthe level of said member for delivering a ball deflected thereby towardone side of the runway for delivery to a storage rack at said one side.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,597,072 Cowgill May 20, 1952 2,627,409 Breen Feb. 3, 1953 2,633,359Hedenskoog Mar. 31, 1953 2,668,714 Huck Feb. 9, 1954 2,693,359 AndersonNov. 2, 1954 2,788,972 Turner Apr. 16, 1957 2,937,024 Ernst May 17, 1960

3. A BOWLING BALL RETARDING DEVICE FOR A BOWLING ALLEY BALL RETURNRUNWAY COMPRISING A BALL ENGAGING MEMBER, A SUPPORTING STRUCTUREMOUNTING SAID MEMBER TRANSVERSELY IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF A BALLROLLING FORWARDLY ALONG THE RUNWAY AND HAVING A LOWER PORTION EXTENDINGDOWNWARDLY BENEATH THE RUNWAY, A STATIONARY STRUCTURE ASSOCIATED WITHSAID LOWER PORTION OF THE MEMBER-SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, AND A RESILIENT,ENERGY-ABSORBING MATERIAL CONNECTING SAID LOWER PORTION TO SAIDSTATIONARY STRUCTURE AND THEREBY YIELDABLY MOUNTING SAID MEMBERSUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR LIMITED IMPACT-ABSORBING MOVEMENT UNDER THEINFLUENCE OF A BALL STRIKING SAID MEMBER, THE ENERGY ABSORBED BY SAIDMATERIAL BEING EFFECTIVE TO RESTORE SAID MEMBER TO A NORMAL POSITIONFOLLOWING SUCH IMPACT THEREBY TO EFFECT DEFLECTION OF THE BALL IN ADIRECTION DOWNWARD AND REARWARD FROM ITS APPROACHING DIRECTION OFMOVEMENT FOR DELIVERY THEREOF FROM THE RUNWAY TO A BALL STORAGE MEANS.